Last Prisoner Project Mobilizes Largest Coalition of Bipartisan Cannabis Advocates to Washington, DC during Cannabis Summit
April 19 2024 - 11:59AM
Over the past several days,
Last Prisoner Project
(LPP) has been mobilizing the largest coalition of
bipartisan cannabis advocacy, industry, and grassroots
organizations, as well as individual activists to convene in
Washington D.C. for a
420 Unity Day of
Action. A number of lobbying events applied public
pressure on Congress and President Biden, encouraging them to take
action to fully legalize cannabis, free those still in prison and
clear cannabis-related convictions.
Although 24 states and D.C. have legalized
adult-use cannabis sales and the vast majority of the U.S.
population now lives in states with some form of legal cannabis,
tens of thousands of people remain in state and federal prison and
millions still suffer the collateral consequences of a criminal
record for the same activity others now profit from.
Advocates were joined by several elected
officials who have been leading the fight for cannabis reform
including Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), Rep.
Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon), Rep. Ayanna
Pressley (D-Massachusetts) who spoke during Wednesday’s
press conference in front of the U.S. Capitol, and
the next day Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota) spoke
to advocates at the Capitol Visitor Center before
Lobby Day meetings with elected officials from
both parties including Sen. Cory Booker (D-New
Jersey), Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York),
Sen. Kirsten Sinema (D-Arizona), Sen. John
Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania), Sen. Bill
Cassiday (R-Louisiana), Sen. Mark Warner
(D-Virginia), and others to call for the full legalization of
cannabis, the removal of criminal penalties and retroactive relief.
Specifically, advocates called on lawmakers to co-sponsor one of
the three pieces of legislation which would federally legalize
cannabis, the MORE Act, States Rights
Act, and the soon to be re-introduced
CAOA, as well as the HOPE Act,
which was introduced in the Senate on Thursday and would provide
funding for state-level expungement programs.
Capping off 48 hours of lobbying and activism,
formerly incarcerated LPP constituents Bryan
Reid, Kyle
Page, Donte West and
Andy Cox, and families of those
still incarcerated including Mitzi Wall and
Alicia Deals, were joined by
hundreds of advocates for a candlelight vigil
in front of the White House to honor all those
harmed by cannabis criminalization.
Throughout the week, directly-impacted advocates
were joined by celebrity voices including Rosario Dawson,
M-1 of Dead Prez, and JoJo Simmons who
used their platforms to spread the calls to decriminalize far
beyond the capital. This advocacy work to broaden the movement and
get people engaged on these issues will continue throughout the
weekend as the 4/20 Unity events culminate with the
National Cannabis Festival taking place today and
tomorrow (April 19-20) at RFK Campus Festival
Grounds which includes educational panels and a fireside
chat with Last Prisoner Project Board Member
M-1. The weekend will conclude with a concert
headlined by Thundercat and Wu-Tang
Clan with Last Prisoner Project Ambassador
Redman.
To join the fight for cannabis justice,
contact your elected officials by sending
them a letter and calling their offices
urging them to decriminalize cannabis now.
Photo Credit: Ben Droz
The bipartisan advocacy groups that
joined LPP this week included:
- Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) (@drugpolicyalliance)
- Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) (@ssdpofficial)
- NORML (@natlnorml)
- Veterans Cannabis Coalition (@veteranscannacoalition)
- Parabola Center (@parabolacenter)
- Reason Foundation
- Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP)
(@policeforreform)
- National Cannabis Festival (@natlcannabisfest)
- National Craft Cannabis Coalition
(@nationalcraftcannabiscoalition)
- National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA)
(@nationalcannabisindustry)
- Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA)
(@mincannbusassoc)
- Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association (ICIA)
(@indigenouscannabisindustry)
- Asian Cannabis Roundtable (@asiancannabisroundtable)
- National Association of Black Cannabis Lawyers (NABCL)
(@nabcl_llc)
- FreedomGrow (@FreedomGrowForever)
- Marijuana Justice (@thcjusticenow)
- Doctors for Drug Policy Reform (@d4dprorg)
- United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) (@ufcwunion)
- Bay Area Latino Cannabis Alliance (BALCA) (@balca_bayarea)
- Supernova Women (@supernovawomen)
- Minorities for Medical Marijuana (@m4mmunited)
- Better Organizing for Winning Legalization (@thebowlpac)
- Midwest Cannawomen (@midwestcannawomen)
- DCMJ (@DCMJ2014)
- Just Leadership USA (JLUSA) (@justleadershipusa)
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (@nacdl)
- United For Decrim
- Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) (@marijuanapolicyproject)
ABOUT LAST PRISONER
PROJECTLast Prisoner Project is dedicated
to freeing those incarcerated due to the War on Drugs, reuniting
their families, and helping them rebuild their lives. As laws
change, there remains a fundamental injustice for individuals whose
conviction is no longer a crime. We work to repair these harms
through legal intervention, constituent support, direct advocacy,
and policy change.
Visit www.lastprisonerproject.org
or text FREEDOM to 24365 to learn more.
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For Media
Inquiries:Linda Carbone & Katie
LeggettPRESS HERElinda@presshereproductions.com |
katie@pressherepublicity.com
Stephen PostLast Prisoner
Project’s Strategic Communications
Managerstephen@lastprsionerproject.org |
press@lastprisonerproject.org
Photos accompanying this announcement are available
at:https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a044c02a-a96c-4ce1-befb-c97254b2014dhttps://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1ca824d5-7a16-4c17-a9a9-20a060beffcehttps://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fd1f6eff-924b-472d-9e04-bf87d53f9666